On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics small forward Bruce Bowen was born in Merced, California in 1970. Bowen played his collegiate ball with Cal State Fullerton and was signed by the Miami Heat in 1997 after several stints playing overseas, having gone undrafted in the 1993 NBA draft.
While Bowen only played one game for the Heat, it was enough to get him noticed by the Celtics, who signed him as a free agent the next year. With Boston, the Californian would slowly establish a reputation as a defensive stalwart, eventually earning an All-Defensive Second Team nomination.
He would play two seasons in total for the Celtics, averaging 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and as many steals per game.